Chapter 2
I nodded.
"Who are you waiting for?" he asked.
"...My brother," I said.
I spoke so softly, barely above a whisper.
The man looked relieved.
He put on a friendly smile, trying to seem approachable.
"You're Luna, right?" he asked.
I was stunned.
How did he know my name?
He met my gaze, his voice softening even more.
"Luna, can you still remember what your brother looks like?" he asked gently.
I struggled to recall his face.
What did he look like? I wondered, but nothing came to mind.
I tried so hard to remember.
So, so hard.
His hair... I tried to picture it, but nothing came to mind.
His eyes... I searched my memory, but they were just a blur.
His nose... I couldn't remember any details.
His mouth...it was all so vague.
But...
My mind was completely blank.
Nothing. Just emptiness.
Nothing at all.
It felt like a field covered in deep, silent snow.
Nothing at all.
No colors.
No shapes.
Not even a blurry outline.
How could I not remember what my brother looks like? Panic was welling up inside me.
He was my brother, and I couldn't remember anything about him. My heart was twisting with pain.
He was the closest person to me in the whole world. I felt so lost.
He said I was his only sister.
He said he'd always protect me. My eyes burned with tears.
But...
Where was his face? My mind spun in confusion.
I hit my head with my fists, desperate for any memory to come back.
But inside, it was just hollow. Only empty echoes remained.
"Be good, Luna," he said softly.
"Just wait right here.
"Once you've counted ten thousand people, your brother will come pick you up."
That was the only thing I remembered.
It was like a mark etched deep into my bones.
It echoed in my mind, again and again.
There was nothing else.
The guy crouched in front of me was Quentin Fox.
I didn't know his name until later.
When he saw the look on my face, the worry in his eyes grew even deeper.
"It's okay if you can't remember," he said gently.
His voice was like a warm fireplace on a cold winter night.
"We're not in a hurry," he added softly.
Quentin reached out to gently touch my head.
I flinched back instinctively.
His hand froze in mid-air.
He withdrew his hand, acting like nothing was wrong.
"Why don't we wait for him somewhere quieter?" Quentin said.
"It's really noisy and cold here," he continued, concern in his voice.
I shook my head. I shook my head, refusing to budge.
"I have to stay right here. My brother said so," I insisted.
It was a command.
It was the rule.
I wasn't allowed to break the rule.
If I broke the rule, my brother would never come back.
"He knows we're going to take you with us," Quentin said softly.
"We left him a note, so he'll see it as soon as he gets back.
"He'll come looking for you at our place," Quentin reassured me.
"We've got heating, hot meals, and a soft, comfy bed just for you," Quentin said gently.
Hot food.
A comfy bed.
My stomach growled at the worst possible moment.
I blushed and ducked my head even lower.
For the past twelve days, I hadn't had even a single hot meal.
Every night, I had to sleep on this cold, hard chair.
When the subway shut down, the whole station was empty, like a giant tomb.
It was dead silent, and somehow, even colder.
Sometimes, in my dreams, the delicious aroma of food would waft through the air, making my mouth water even in my sleep.
Quentin's words were like a feather, gently brushing against my resolve, making it harder to hold on.
But...
I couldn't.
I had to keep waiting for my brother.
"My brother won't let me leave," I said quietly.
I whispered, barely making a sound.
Quentin just stared at me for a few seconds, not saying a word.
It was like he was trying to figure out something really hard.
Finally, he stood up.
He spoke quietly to the female officer behind him.
The female officer walked over and crouched down beside me.
She was even gentler than Quentin.
There was a soft, gentle fragrance about her.
"Luna, look," she said softly.
She held out her hand.
In her palm was a piece of chocolate.
The wrapper was shiny gold.
"You look hungry, Luna. Here, have something to eat," she said softly.
I gazed at the chocolate, swallowing hard.
But I stubbornly shook my head.
Because I got money. I still had four bucks.
That was enough to buy two bread rolls.'
The female officer unwrapped the chocolate and offered it right in front of my mouth.
The rich, sweet scent drifted up to my nose.
My mouth was practically drooling now.
"Don't worry, Luna. We're not here to hurt you," the female officer said softly.
"We're police officers," she reassured her.
The police.
I thought I'd heard that before.
They caught bad guys.
I wasn't a bad person.
Either was my brother.
Quentin met my gaze, his face sincere and serious.
"Luna, we're here to help you," he said gently.
"We'll help you find your brother," he added.
Help me?
Help me find my brother?
That sentence was like a key, jamming right into the mess in my head.
It slid straight into the chaos swirling inside my mind.
Oh, that's right. I realized.
They could help me.
They were police.
With so many of them, they would count way faster than I ever could.
Maybe they'll hit ten thousand people in no time.
And then my brother would come back for me.
My eyes sparkled with hope.
I looked at Quentin and, for the first time, finally found my voice.
"Can you...count ten thousand people?" I asked quietly.
Quentin froze, caught off guard.
The officers behind him stopped in their tracks, just as stunned.
They shot each other bewildered looks, their eyes full of confusion.
Quentin crouched down again.
"What do you mean, ten thousand people?" he asked, clearly puzzled.
"My brother said he'd come back after I counted ten thousand people," I said softly.
I told him about the rule.
Quentin's expression suddenly turned strange.
That complicated look I couldn't read crossed his face again.
This time, I could see a flicker of anger in his eyes.
Was he angry with me?
Because I was too dumb to count the people?
I lowered my head, feeling a little scared.
Quentin took a deep breath.
When he spoke again, his voice was calm again, all traces of emotion smoothed away.